This page brings together useful resources for supporting families with home-learning while settings and schools are closed during COVID-19 restrictions. See also:

• Twelve links for supporting home learning: early years and primary

External links:

Playing and Exploring

• The Gruffalo website
• Siren films website has short courses using their video clips from Dr Sue Allingham and Anne O’Connor – supporting attachments
• @RebeccaRHelm on Twitter tweeting facts and pictures about the open ocean every weekday.
• @Emilydoodles on Twitter, the learning officer at Leeds Museum, is sharing fascinating scientific objects and facts – one week was all about sea creatures.

Creating

• Bird drawing – Matt Sewell on Instagram live bird drawing on Friday afternoons.
• @ScholasticUK on Facebook have videos of Julia Donaldson reading and performing songs
• If you use Apple, Eric Carle: Artist and AR pioneer has enabled The Very Hungry Caterpillar AR to enter the (almost) real world with augmented reality!
• Chester Zoo on Facebook have been live with their virtual zoo days and you can view their films afterwards on their page.
• 50 things activities to do in your back garden if you’re lucky enough to have a garden this has plenty of ideas. Alternatively, the 50 things to do before you’re five App offers many options.
• Lovemybooks.co.uk have got a useful making and doing section
• The Creative Star website had useful ideas. 

Loving reading

• Love my Books are leading the #EYPictureBookClub hashtag. eg We’re Going on a Bear Hunt and Oliver’s Vegetables. Our Loving books together at home blog lists more links for accessing picture books

Explaining in child-friendly language

• The Scared Gang Have to Stay at Home book free to download gives a lovely explanation for young children
• Nosy Crow free information book explaining the coronavirus to children – free to download

Supporting

• Adoption UK’s YouTube channel bitesize vlogs about home learning
• Adoption UK resources for nurture
• Louise M Bomber’s TouchBase website Support through this season – self-care and YouTube vlogs
• Six ways to help your child come to terms with lockdown loss from the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, on BBC Bitesize.
• Have a listen and read of this virtual story book Indoor happiness, a story read by Fasjin Ali who wrote it for her children at school.

Free resources for home learning

• If you would like to see more links, here’s a good summary of 87 free resources for home learning from TES (28th March 2020).

Resources for parents

• A Parent’s Guide to Promoting Early Learning and Development at Home (0 – 5 years): Supporting Families During the Coronavirus Pandemic by Debra Laxton, University of Chichester/MESH guides
• BBC’s Tiny Happy People